The “no makeup” makeup trend definitely isn’t new, but it’s pretty new for me (or at least, making it look good is new for me). The idea behind the “no makeup” look is a semi-flawless complexion with a few simple products to highlight particular features while ultimately looking like you are not really wearing a full face of makeup.
Come warm weather, this is a super versatile look that can fit almost any daytime occasion once you figure out which areas of your face you want to accentuate. One thing I’ve discovered can be a big help with such a natural look is to go a bit monochromatic if possible, using a contrasting shade to your eyecolor. With my hazel eyes, a peachy-orange look really helps them pop behind my glasses.
For me, the two main things to take care of for a look like this are brows and lashes. Since I wear glasses with thick plastic frames, it’s important to highlight my brows so they don’t get lost in my face, and my lashes to help my eyes look bigger and brighter. However, because this is such a natural look, I think it’s only natural to have some “flaws” showing or you’ll risk looking too made up; I usually skip the undereye concealer since I would rather cover up any blemishes/acne.
Here are the products I use for my warm weather natural makeup look (in order of application):
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream – I am slowly becoming a complete convert to this cream over the seaweed mattifying day cream I was previously obsessed with. Since I’m going very light on the face makeup, it’s important to have my skin looking its best on its own and hydration is key. I use this cream before bed and before I do my makeup every day for soft, hydrated skin which also helps minimize creasing makeup in the under-eye area.
Budget Beauty Tip: The Body Shop often sells their creams in smaller jars advertising a 3-for-$10 deal (or $4 each). The full size of this cream is $18 for 1.7 oz. Buy the travel size/mini jars instead – three of them will net you 1.5 oz for a savings of $8 and it will be a bit more hygienic too since you won’t have to stick your fingers in the same jar for as long.
Makeup Geek eyeshadow, Barcelona Beach – I use an angled brow brush and a tiny bit of this gorgeous matte shadow to fill in my brows before brushing in Benefit’s Gimme Brow tinted brow gel to keep them in place (I use the shade medium/deep).
Budget Beauty Tip: Got your eye on a gorgeous eyeshadow from MAC? Check out the Makeup Geek catalog for near-perfect dupes before you splurge – Marlena’s stunning shadows are only $5.99 for 1.8 grams compared to $16 for MAC’s 1.5 grams. Even the MAC pro palette refill pans will run you $10.
